284 BRITISH FERNS 
XI 
REGALE (Barnes) 
Barnes. (Raised) 1867. 
2 (6) пт 
Raised by Mr. Barnes from splendens, and worthy of its name,— 
the nearest approach to a real crested plumosum,—though it bears 
spores ;—in colour a clear golden green,— some of its seedlings 
promise to be even better than the parent, if that be possible. 
There is something in the cresting of A¢hyriums which seems 
destructive of the true plumose character, —perhaps itis that a Fern 
cannot think of too much at one time,— however, the fact remains 
that hitherto, in spite of the efforts of all the most skilled manufac- 
turers, the two characters, in their perfection, have not yet been 
combined. J. Wilson, of Bowness, can show seedlings from a 
plumose A/Ayrium, in every stage from simple plumosum to perfect 
cristatum ;—the plumose character being unmistakably visible when 
the plants are but slightly crested, but fading away exactly in 
proportion to the development of the cresting, and to a certain 
extent this change goes on in the same plant. 


